thank you all very much. >> the fiscal cliff proposals in the house and senate. the majority leader said that the house should take up legislation taken up by the senate. this is about 15 minutes. >> without democrat and republican votes, which means any solution will have to ask the most fortunate to pay a little bit more to reduce our deficit and insure that it does not take our nation to the brink of default. nothing that has passed the house of representatives meets that test. nothing. president obama and speaker boehner. poised to strike a grand bargain a couple of days ago. we have heard that before. instead of making -- instead of making our dresses about compromise, the speaker retreated to his corner and resorted to political stunts. that is done, and fell flat. it is time for the speaker and all republicans to return to the negotiating table. we have never left. it is time for republicans to work with us to find a middle ground. it is the only hope of averting the devastating impact of the fiscal cliff. the fiscal cliff needs to be avoided. in the meant